About Us · Accreditation

WSP Receives CALEA Reaccreditation

In March 2013, the Washington State Patrol (WSP) received full reaccreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), marking 25 consecutive years of national accreditation. The WSP was first accredited by CALEA in 1988, the third state law enforcement agency to do so. At the March 2013 conference the WSP also received the designation of “Accreditation with Excellence”, the highest single period accreditation award available.

Being accredited by CALEA requires police agencies to comply with over 460 standards that detail every major aspect of law enforcement, including traffic operations, crime analysis, performance evaluation, recruitment, evidence collection, strategic planning, public information, and communications. These standards are designed to make an agency more efficient, more accountable, and more responsive to the needs of citizens.

In 2012 WSP opted to participate in the Gold Standard Assessment rather than the traditional on-site review. During the traditional on-site the assessors spend the majority of their time reviewing files to verify compliance. The new Gold Standard process allows the assessors to refrain from file review while on site and instead focus on interviews with agency personnel to verify compliance. This process also requires the Chief, accreditation manager, assessors and CALEA Program Manager to discuss, in advance of the on-site, the agency strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) for the purpose of defining opportunities for agency-wide growth and development.

The WSP has established a unique method to help us maintain accreditation and we are proud to say that the process is a team effort. The WSP has created a team with individuals located strategically throughout Washington State. These people are asked to gather proofs showing how we conduct daily operations. Once the proofs are obtained they are submitted to the Strategic Planning Section where they are reviewed for compliance with current laws, policies and procedures. If written policies and/or processes need to be adjusted, the change is proposed to management and appropriate action is initiated. Our mission - “The Washington State Patrol makes a difference every day, enhancing the safety and security of our state by providing the best in public safety services” - is truly complemented by CALEA standard accountability.

For further information on the Accreditation Process,
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